Aha! I knew I was right.

I stopped drinking soda four years ago. I don't eat anything with high fructose corn syrup (an artificial sweetener). I won't use agave syrup (which usually contains some HFCS too), stevia or any other artificial sweetener. Mostly because they violate Michael Pollan's food rules. 

But my adherance to "real" food over frankenfood and other things artificial seem to be on the right track. 

Seems diet soda could be causing obesity and diabetes, not preventing it. 

"Researchers found that artificial sweeteners changed the composition of gut bacteria over time, which could explain why subjects became more glucose intolerant over time. Prolonged glucose intolerance leads to conditions like obesity and diabetes -- the very things that people drinking diet sodas are trying to avoid."

"We have an estimated 100 trillion bacteria in our intestines, and they help us digest our food. But they don't just help break down our food; emerging research like Elinav's links imbalances in gut bacteria to conditions like obesity, Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease and Crohn's disease, just to name a few.

It could be that the key to managing or even preventing such illnesses is catering to that bacteria, and in the case of obesity and diabetes, that could mean avoiding artificial sweeteners.

"Artificial sweeteners were extensively introduced into our diets with the intention of reducing caloric intake and normalizing blood glucose levels without compromising the human 'sweet tooth,'" write the study authors. "Our findings suggest that [artificial sweeteners] may have directly contributed to enhancing the exact epidemic that they themselves were intended to fight."

Of course, this study doesn't mean that plunging headfirst into drinks with real sugar in them are any healthier -- the American Diabetes Association recommends avoiding sugary drinks like sweet tea, juice, soda and sports drinks altogether in order to prevent diabetes."

This is why I've switched to seltzer water. I get the fizz of soda but it's really just water. 

How to deter mosquitoes without chemicals.

I’ve been fighting a losing battle with mosquitoes this summer. Despite a drought, somewhere in my neighborhood there is a water source allowing them to breed and I have no way of knowing where it is or doing anything about it.

I refuse to resort to DEET.

So I’m looking at non-toxic control and have found some interesting information.

First, make sure your window screens are secure and tight and doors closed. Do it before the sun goes down. (See #4) Don’t go out after dark or at twilight if you can help it.

1. They are attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale and the lactic acid we sweat. So, first thing is to make sure you shower before bed.

2. They like it hot and moist. So if you have an A/C set it and run it lower than 76 degrees. Lower than 74 to be sure. Personally, I like my room cold and would prefer 68-72.

3. They don’t like wind. So if you have a fan, set it on high. My ceiling fan shakes too much on high due to poor balancing which I have been unable to fix so medium is the highest I set it. So I’ll be setting up a small fan on my nightstand and setting it on high to blow across me. That way even if a mosquito could fly in such high winds, they won’t be able to find me because my carbon dioxide and lactic acid vapors will be blown away from me.

4. Leave the lights on. Amazing. Get a sleeping mask and sleep with the lights on.

Those four things should do it. I’ll know more at the end of the summer. And yes, these are all energy wasting solutions but I’d rather pay the electric bill then get a mosquito born disease. Mosquitoes are the deadliest creatures on earth. Plus I have photo voltaic panels on my roof and generate plenty of energy I can afford to run the AC, a fan and keep the lights on. If it will keep me from getting bit, I’m all for it.

No DEET for me. I am also not buying a mosquito net or burning a coil or citronella candle.

After I am bit, I use Apinol to reduce the itching. Works pretty well. It’s somewhat of a deterrent as it smells strongly of pine (which I happen to like) but not 100% so on with the fan, a/c and lights!